Elevator



(N Model.)

.0. E. POSTER. ELBV-ATOR.

No. 443,273. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

U 'l .ITE S S ES 3 I ,/VVEJV T OR MM MM@ Attorney J UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES E. FOSTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEHYDRAULIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,273, dated December23, 1890.

Application filed April 17, 1890. Serial No. 34.81325. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have iuventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the followingis a speciticat-ion.

My invention relates to that class of elevators in which the movementsof the cage are regulated by means of a device within the cage,connected with a stopping and starting device of an elevator-engine; andmy invent-ion consists in certain connections hereinafter set forth formoving said stopping and starting device from the operating-handlewithin the cage.

The figure in the drawing represents an elevation of sufficient of anelevator to illustrate my improvement.

The cage A is of anysuitable construction, or it may be a platformconnected to be operated by the engine B, which may be of any of theusual forms, either a hydraulic engine, steam-engine, or, as shown, anelectrical engine, and connected to operate a` drum C,

around which is wound the hoisting-rope l, connected to the cage. Vithinthe well are two pulleys 2 3, one of which is fixed, while the other ismovable. As shown, the lower pulley turns in fixed bearings, while theupper pulley turns in bearings upon aweighted lever 4, supported by abracket 5. Around both pulleys passes an endless cable 6, which thushangs in a position within the well adjacent to the sides of the cage,and upon the latter is carried a tightening device of any suitableconstruction, whereby the cable may be tightened or slackened, asrequired. As shown, the tightening device has two pulleys 7 8, turningupon fixed bearings upon the sides of the cage, and a pulley 9, carriedby a frame 10, outside the cage, connected to a short shaft extendingthrough the cage, and provided at the inside of the cage with an0perating-handle 12.

The movable pulley 2 is connected in any suitable manner with thestopping and starting device of the elevatorengine. Such starting andstopping device may be a belt-shifter `or valve, or, as shown, maybe anelectric cir cuit-breaker or switch 13, capable of being set to connectwith either of two contacts 14 15, the shifting from either contactbreaking the circuit and holding the apparatus at rest, while connectionwith the contact 15 will cornplete the circuit to elevate the cage, andconncction with the contact 14: will complete the circuit to lower thecage. It is not necessary to describe these circuits, as they are wellknown to those connected with electrical engineering and t0 thosefamiliar with electrical elevator apparatus.

When the pulley 9 is moved by the handle 12 to a posit-ion between thetwo parallel portions of the cable, so as to wholly release the latter,the upper guide-pulley 2 rises to the limit of its upward motion,connection is made between the switch and the contact 14, and the engineis driven so as to lower the cage.

It' it is desired to arrest the motion of the cage, the pulley 9 isbrought into its mid-position-that is, so as to tighten the cable 6, asshown, to such an extent that the switch 13 is brought between thecontacts 14 and 15, when the motion of the engine will at once bearrested. If it is desired to ascend, the cable is then still furthertightened by moving upward the handle 12 until the switch 18 is on thecontact 15, when the engine will be reversed and the cage will beelevated.

It will be seen that the cable 6 is not connected to positively travelwith the cage, but hangs at times loosely within the well, but that itis tightened or slackened by means of the cable-tightening device uponthe cage, and when acted upon by the latter will either travel with thecage or around the pulleys of the tightening device, according as theremay be more or less friction upon the different portions.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown and described, I claim-f- 1. The combination, with the cage,elevat0r= engine, and stopping and starting device thereof, of a fixedanda movable pulley within the well, the movable pulley connected tooperate the stopping and starting device, a continuous cable passinground said pulleys and disconnected from the cage, and acable-tightening device upon Iche enge, subsl'autially as set forth.

2. The combination of the enge, stopping and starting devioe,n1ovablepulley at one end of lhe well connected wit-h said device, fixed pulleyat the opposite end of the well, continuous cable passing round saidpulleys and disconnected from the cage, und a cabletighteningr deviceprovided with pulleys out` side the cage and with :Ln operuting-hmidle1o Within the enge, substantially ns set forth.

In testimony whereof l have signed my nume to this specification in thepresence ol- Jmvo subscribingr Witnesses.

CHARLES E. FOSTER.

\\itnesses:

W. S. MCARTHUR, J. S. BARKER.

